On March 12, 2020, CDB convened the 2020 Poverty Alleviation Videoconference in Beijing, during which attendees studied General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Symposium on Winning the Final Battle Against Poverty, reviewed CDB’s work on poverty alleviation through financial means, and discussed and developed CDB’s major tasks for 2020. Zhao Huan, Chairman of CDB, delivered a speech at the conference, which was moderated by Zhou Qingyu, Executive Vice President and President of Poverty Relief Program Finance at CDB.
It was pointed out at the conference that, in his speech at the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave full recognition to China’s historic achievements in poverty alleviation, provided a profound analysis of the challenges to winning the battle against poverty, and presented specific requirements for enhancing the CPC’s leadership over poverty alleviation work and for effectively achieving poverty alleviation goals. His speech provided a clear direction and strong momentum for winning the final battle against poverty, injecting greater confidence and determination into the CPC and society at large in their mission to overcome poverty.
It was stressed at the conference that CDB should keep in mind the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the symposium, take concrete measures to strengthen the “Four Consciousnesses,” “Four Confidences,” and “Two Upholds,” and understand the special significance of poverty alleviation work in 2020, the necessity of promoting poverty alleviation and epidemic prevention and control simultaneously, and the difficulty and urgency of winning the final battle against poverty. Following the decisions, arrangements, and requirements of the CPC Central Committee, CDB should, with a focus on areas of priority and weakness including the “Two No-worries and Three Guarantees,” spare no effort in helping people overcome poverty and helping poor areas achieve sustainable development both economically and socially, thus making new contributions to eradicating poverty across China. In 2020, CDB will grant no less than 20 million RMB in special loans to support poverty alleviation in poor areas.
The following major tasks of promoting poverty alleviation through financial means were put forward at the conference. First, CDB should pay greater policy attention to the final 52 counties that still retain the “poor” label and give priority to solving prominent challenges including the “Two No-worries and Three Guarantees,” drinking water safety, poverty alleviation through industry development, and follow-up support for relocated poor families. Second, CDB should support poverty alleviation in poverty-stricken areas by developing and implementing targeted policies for the “Three Regions and Three Prefectures,” promote collaboration on poverty alleviation between eastern and western regions by supporting investment by leading eastern enterprises in western regions, particularly in poverty-stricken areas, and help to fight poverty in selected regions by taking concrete measures to promote poverty alleviation through consumption. Third, CDB should consolidate existing achievements in poverty alleviation. It should strengthen efforts in overcoming poverty through industry development, prioritize support for poverty alleviation workshops and assist leading enterprises for poverty alleviation in resuming their operations, and help include poor areas into the industry value chain. CDB should make full use of relent loans in poverty alleviation and strive to include all the 832 national-level impoverished counties into the list of beneficiaries of its relent loans in 2020. CDB should ensure follow-up support for relocated poor families and provide comprehensive financial services for the implementation of related industry development projects. CDB should also explore market-oriented financing models for filling infrastructure and public service gaps in poor areas to solidify their foundation for development. Fourth, CDB should strengthen efforts to fight poverty by empowering people intellectually and emotionally. Adhering to the principle of “granting targeted loans to all qualified students,” it should enable broader and deeper coverage of student loans and take concrete measures to help students overcome poverty through employment. CDB should strengthen efforts in poverty alleviation training. While continuously providing cadre training for poor areas, it should work with local governments to organize occupational training for people living in poverty. CDB should assist poor areas in developing plans for consolidating poverty alleviation achievements, while providing financing planning and consulting services. Fifth, CDB should promote effective interaction between poverty alleviation in all aspects and rural revitalization projects. It should vigorously promote the development of competitive rural industries and support environmental protection projects including those related to national forest reserves, the protection of the Yangtze River, and the ecological restoration of the Yellow River.
It was also stressed at the conference that CDB should strengthen leadership in all aspects in order to combat poverty as effectively as possible through financial means. First, CDB should strengthen the leadership of the CPC and give priority to poverty alleviation through financial means. CDB leaders should remain on the front line to ensure fulfillment of responsibilities at all levels and successful execution of the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and arrangements on poverty alleviation. Second, CDB should inspire responsibility, strengthen performance evaluation and supervision, and hold accountable branches with poor or slow progress in promoting poverty alleviation through financial means. Third, CDB should strengthen team building, assign only veteran employees to poverty alleviation work, and further the role of cadres dispatched for poverty alleviation, showcasing CDB employees’ strong sense of responsibility in the final battle against poverty. Fourth, CDB should strengthen risk prevention and control. It should enhance the eligibility evaluation of poverty alleviation projects and the building of a credit structure to ensure effective use and successful recovery of loans. It should resolutely fight against formalism and bureaucratism, and improve the working style employed in its promotion of poverty alleviation through financial means.
Since the beginning of 2020, CDB has been leveraging development finance to promote poverty alleviation, while providing financial services for epidemic prevention and control and helping to accelerate the recovery of economic and social development. As of March 11, 2020, CDB had granted 58.8 billion RMB in loans to poor areas, with a priority on helping leading enterprises in poor areas resume operations, supporting the construction of key poverty alleviation projects, and ensuring successful spring plowing.
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